One of the first things I think of when I think about Mexico is the Mayan ruins. There are so many different sites that you can visit, some are more easily accessible to tourists and some are more well known than others.
A bucket list item for me has always been to climb a Mayan pyramid. Therefore when I was researching which Mayan ruins were available to tour during our cruise I came across Dzibanche. While this is one of the most spectacular Mayan ruins that are accessible from Costa Maya it was one that I had not heard of before. It is also away from the crowds and you are still allowed to climb to the top of two temples.
What we didn’t realize until we arrived at Dzibanche was that we would have the entire grounds of the ruins to ourselves for our entire 1 hour and 45-minute tour. It was peaceful and spectacular!
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Native Choice
We booked our excursion through Native Choice and had the best experience. Booking our excursion was easy, we were warmly greeted at their office, our tour guide was fabulous, and our driver was great.
The excursion included round trip transportation in an air-conditioned van, an English speaking guide, entrance tickets, a guided tour at the ruins, bottled water during our tour, and a box lunch (sandwich, soda, and chips).
When we arrived in Costa Maya, we followed the directions provided by Native Choice to walk 4 blocks to their offices. Once there we met our guide, loaded into the van, and started our journey to the ruins. During the drive, our guide told us about Costa Maya and the surrounding area, she told us about the Mayan people, and about the site.
Dzibanche
We had an 1 hour and 50-minute drive to Dzibanche, where we had a short break to use the restrooms before starting our tour of the ruins site.
We climbed a short staircase and as soon as we reached the top, through the trees I could spot our first Mayan temple. It was huge, beautiful, and a great example of Mayan architecture.
We learned so much about the people, the temples, and the dynasties. In fact, they uncovered a tomb with jade offerings for members of the ruling family that suggests it could have been home to one of the most powerful Mayan dynasties.
Each temple that we climbed was an amazing experience. The first temple while smaller had much taller steps. The second temple that we climbed raised us up above the treetops for a spectacular view of the surrounding jungles and a glimpse at a nearby Mayan ruins site.
During our tour of the ruins, we spotted howler monkeys twice. Tip: do not stand underneath the monkeys they like the throw items.
After our tour, we stopped at the ticket booth to use the restrooms and eat our lunch before heading back to Costa Maya and the port. Our driver dropped us off as close to the port as possible.
Tips
Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes that allow you to climb the temples safely and walk about 1 mile around the sites.
Bring a hat, sunscreen, and mosquito repellent especially during the summer months.
Make sure that you have your camera, that the battery is charged and you have room on your memory card.
It was an amazing experience and one that I know that I will never be able to repeat. I highly recommend a visit to Dzibanche with Native Choice.
When you return to port, I suggest cooling off in the splash pad/fountain before making your way back to your ship.
What Mayan Ruins have you visited?